The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-16
NO MORE GAS LEGISLATION
The Opposition to Open and Unre-
strained Competition Prevails.
The NaturalGas Committee Reports Adverse
~ on the Supplemental Ordinance. and the
Council Approves the Recommendation.

purpose, is called upon to consider any measure
relative to natural gas, it presumes to take the
views of the citizens and act accordingly. Yes
terday it had a meeting to see how far the Coun-
Gil ought to go in modifying the schedule of
prices, if such step necessary to bring
gas into the city this year Before the meeting
occurred not member really believed
that the city would have gas this fall or winter
1t was to consider, though, that ordinance, the
friends of which claimed would be incentive
to other companies proposing to lay pipe lines to
do that work in hurry. and thus benefit the
city by an early supply of gas. To allow gen.
eral expression of views citizens and manufact-
urers especially interested in the question were
invited to attend, the ordinance proposed to
let the company companies that had
gas supply in the city pv the LIST of January to
charge 30 per cent above the rates fixed in the
first ordinance. This privilege was to continue
only two years, and after that the company
companies could charge 90 per cent above
the schedule for a period of three years. The
privilege would expire altogether in 1893. when
no price greater than that fixed by the
schedule could be charged. But behind
the ordinance its opponents alleged that the
terrible Standard Oil Company lurked and
practically said that it would be better to remain
without gas than let that company supply it.
Hence. there were ready at the meeting two
three gentlemen not of the committee to make
fight against the ordinance
Although the invitation to attend the meeting
was general but two manufacturers appeared to
oppose the passage of the measure. They
j. O. Adams and E. c. Atkins. The other
citizens present were professional and business
men to the number of six seven.
Mr.. Adams who has brick yard. said that the
item of fuel amounted to a great deal to him.
IL that supplemental ordinance was passed he
would consider it perpetual bar to manufact-
uring interests and practical prohibition in
the of gas. Gas could not compete with
coal. Something like fair price ought to be
offered and that would be something that would
enable gas to compete with slack coal He had
been without gas for forty years and would
rather be forty years without it than to
have the ordinance amended.
Mr.. Atkins has not changed his views in re-
gard to the price at which gas should be fur
nished to manufacturers He told the COM
mittee very much what he has said heretofore
in the prolonged discussion of this question. He
claimed that the schedule as fixed in the
ordinance, was forty per cent. above Pittsburg
prices and ought to satisfy any company. To
change would be to benefit the few at the
pense of the many, for manufacturer could
afford to do away with coal and use gas at any
price higher than that in the ordinance.
General Morris said that in order to fix the
price eouitably between the company and con-
sumner a good deal more information to gas is
necessary This information is not attainable
just now, as there is an uncertainty about the
continuation of the gas supply. It last
three, five or ten years or indefinitely. No
tell. This uncertainty must necessarily
enter into any consideration of prices He pre-
ferred to wait before a schedule is fixed by the
Council. In the meantime he would throw the
city open to competing com anies and let them
be unrestricted After two years service a
schedule that would be just could be arranged.
The question now should be, how the city
get the gas quickly.
DIR. Denke- Walter told the committee that
the people had lost confidence in the homo
com any, and, for himself, he did not believe
that it intended to bring gas to the city, as it
controlled by coal dealers.
DR.. Jameson did not think it worth while to
modify the ordinance until the company
companies would name price at which
they would furnish gas So far the
city has to deal only with the Stand
ard Oil and in Indianapolis Natural Gas COM
panies The latter could bring gas to the city, if
it inclined. If either both would limit
the price he would favor modification of the
dinance. If is to be furnished at a much
higher rate than that already named by the
Council it would become luxury and of no
benefit to the city. However, he would rather
take it coal prices than to have it at all;
but to fix the price on coal basis
is absurd gas would then be subject to
the fluctuations and advances which would fol-
low from the operations of coal pools In that
De benefited The consumption would be con-
fined to the few. The gas supply should be left
open a matter of contract between the
panies and the consumers. but the former should
be held to limit of charge beyond which they
could not
E. B. Martindale said Indianapolis had for
months been operating without q purpose in re-
gard to gas. Months aud months in which the
city ought to have been prospecting her capital
lists were doing nothing. A few wells in time
were bored, and then legislation came and with
it extreme views. In this matter he never
favored unrestricted ordinance, but now it is
just as legal for the Council to say to these COM
panies ''for q few years you can charge up to q
certain limit your own prices, but after that you
only charge the prices fixed in the ordl-
nance" as it is to say you shall charge only
such and such price. In regard
this supplemental ordinance he said it had
aver been approved by the Standard Oil Com
pany, but he thought if it was passed that COM
pany could accept the conditions and bring gas
to the city. What bothered him that the
natural gas ordinance has now been a fact,
matter of law, for sixty days and not com,
accept it If it is satisfactory to
any company why has not this
company accepted it9 Frankly, he did not Think
it was the intention of any pipe to the
city under it As to price, it must, after all, be
matter of contract It is impossible for it to
be anything else, and this supplemental ordi-
nance only offers an inducements to the compa-
MES to bring gas here at once There has been
too much delay. The city has been injured bv
it, and will continue to suffer unless Something
IS done. There will be pipe lines to the CITY, but
when! She needs the gas now and not 4 COM
pany has taken any practical step towards sup
plying it. Before any gas is brought here he
believes the companies will ask the Council to
modify the ordinance as to the prices. He
sure that it would be done, but in this supple
mental ordin ance the Council is called upon to
say TO these companies you have got
quickly If you want the advantages offered"
A. A. Mckain and G.. w. Stubbs approved
any change of the present schedule and the COM
mittee then, after few minutes conversation,
determined to report adversely on the supple
mental ordinance
Approval of the Committees Report.
At the meeting of the Council last night, when
the report of the special committee on natural